Paris

[Mama1980]

Hi I lived in ladies years ago as a impoverished student I'm now taking my teenage son back as a treat and I am looking for nice places to eat. Could stretch to somewhere very special one but also looking for recommendations for regular day to day eating please.
He's a big foodie and a teenage boy so eats a lot! He will literally eat anything and we have no allergies. Thanks

Check the farmers’ protests are over before you go.

Thanks we aren't going until March.

Bouillon Chartier

Any of the Bouillons (Chartier is most famous), the street near Montparnasse with all the creperies on, and for a treat, L'Entrecote - never ending frites.

La Taverne de Montmartre

Wonderful hot chocolate in Angelinas, amazing breakfasts in Deux Magots, decent food not expensive in chat noir, there’s a wonderful place that does steak frites and Roquefort sauce next to the cemetery in monmartre but I don’t know what it’s called. Or just anywhere French with no translated menu, nor full of tourists. Oh I’m jealous, you’ll have a wonderful time!

A few of my favourites:

https://goo.gl/maps/biCUayymDDiFVf6J9

https://goo.gl/maps/biCUayymDDiFVf6J9

https://goo.gl/maps/Cfjv65tXyQZVjfsEA

Les ombres was unreal! Overlooks the Eiffel Tower but they do a lunch menu which was very reasonable

Don't bother with the bouillons. Over hyped tourist traps. I refuse to queue for an hour when there is a perfectly good bistro round the corner.

In the Marais if you like Middle Eastern food try chez Marianne. Really nice food for reasonably good prices and good service.

In the 6th, if you want to splash out, Colvert is very good.

I live in Paris. Do be aware that the JO preparations are causing chaos, the place is like a giant building site and public transport can be awful. It's also not guaranteed that the farmers' protests will be resolved by March! We have food shortages at the moment in the shops and a good number of restaurants closed. But let's hope. It's still Paris and very lovely in many ways.

At Bouillon Chartier your son can try all the French bistro classics at a low price. Be prepared to queue outside but if you're only 2 it shouldn't take long.

If you're in the 7th, les Cocottes on rue Saint-Dominique is a great shout, especially for the set menu for lunch.

You can also get a great French lunch in a boulangerie that has seating, get a warmed quiche or tarte salée with some great bread and then an amazing pâtisserie for dessert.

The street with the crêperies is called rue d'Odessa.

750g la table out on the edge of the 15th arrondissement is also worth the journey.

N.B. Le Colvert near Saint-Germain-des-Près is currently closed.

Jumping on this as am wondering about booking a few days for me and one of the DCs. @DominiqueBernard would you say it is so much hassle it would be better to wait until after the Olympics? Or are some areas more affected by Olympics prep than others?

It depends on what you're planning to do, really.

It's also not guaranteed that the farmers' protests will be resolved by March! We have food shortages at the moment in the shops and a good number of restaurants closed.

Dominique, sorry this is slightly off-topic, but what’s the view of the farmers’ protest amongst Parisians? Are they supportive or annoyed by food shortages?

Ooh and Finkelsteins (may have spelled that incorrectl) for amazing, but affordable, pastries. Could grab some bits from here if it’s a nice day, some drinks, and find somewhere nice for a little picnic with ds?

I can only really speak for my circle; I'd say people are broadly sympathetic however at the same time the farmers are perhaps a bit deaf as life is pretty tough for a lot of people in a lot of professions right now and farmers do already receive (from a lay person's POV) a fair bit of support. However they are spot on to point out how the big supermarket chains are crushing them e.g. paying peanuts from products that are then resold at a what seems to be an eyewatering profit and I think we'd all like to see the supermarkets brought to account.

That’s very interesting - thank you Dominique.

We're probably to the right of a lot of average French workers esp. from an economic POV so I'd say yes there is a good level of sympathy for the farmers and agreement with their actions. In île de France everyone has stayed at home in order to let the tractors pass on Thursday / Friday and again since Sunday. (However we don't personally know anyone who has been trying to get to the airports which are blocked off.)

Eiffel Tower and bateau-mouche, probably! Not Disneyland Paris. We’d probably stay fairly central. It would only be for a few days and he’s never been before (he’s 8) - I know he wants to go up the Eiffel Tower. Just trying to work out whether we can manage it before the summer.

I don't think you should have too many problems, possibly accommodation will be a bit difficult to find. From visiting friends or friends who've had visitors, I've heard it's wise to book the queue jump tickets for Tour Eiffel as otherwise it can be a very long queue for younger children.

There's also a hot air balloon in the Parc André Citroën to the west of the Tour Eiffel (there is a nice walk between the two along the île des Cygnes, an island on the Seine with a statue of Liberty.) Just be aware that walking around can be more difficult, and noisy, (and places may look less beautiful) because of all the building work.

Paris is a small city so try to avoid public transport especially during peak times and weekends and walk if you can.

I think your DC would probably like the Jardins de Luxembourg, if you have time to go there. Personally I would say there is less to see towards Pigalle and the Sacré-cœur, although inside the basilica is fantastic. Montmartre is just so very crowded and very touristy.

Your DC might also like to see the Hôtel des Invalides (where Napoléon Bonaparte is buried); it's free to enter the main courtyard with the cannons and the chapel where important military funerals are held. You could look up photos online and see if it would interest you. You have ti go through a security check at the entrance and it's closed on Mondays (everything is closed on Monday except the Louvre).

When a friend came with her kids who are a similar age, they really wanted to attach a padlock to a bridge as they had seen it in a book about Paris. If you think your DC would want to do this, I would bring a cheap padlock with you and a Sharpie to write a message on it, as some shops near bridges don't sell locks (to deter people from attaching them) or they sell them at ludicrous prices.

@DominiqueBernard , thanks so much for your advice - really appreciate it!